Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

[Henry Spencer]

So, any of you guys upgrading and gotten your buddies yet? Or are you still galloping along with D Horse? lol.

DD Buddy:

You can outfit DD with a knife and a sneaking suit. Plus he sniffs out all of the enemies at an outpost in seconds and any medical plants nearby... How bad ass is that? He's my favourite character in the game!

[Thief]

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Snake and I had a moment at Mother Base :P

[Kenny]

EDIT:[/color]

I know the series is known for being crazy but it was crazy with a purpose. Things got way TOO crazy in the intro to the point where it felt like random shit was being thrown just for the sake of it with a generic fire boss popping in and out.

As a writer yourself, I'm kind of surprised that you didn't immediately pick up on everything in the intro being foreshadowing and suggestion of things that will show up later. None of it seemed like it was just for the hell of it to me; it seemed more like a preview of things to come. I like that kind of storytelling actually; drop tons of insanity right at the start, then slow it back down so you can work up to it again later. Provides a hook.
On that note, I actually really liked the fire guy. Not so generic from where I'm standing. Weird kind of revelation when you finally see him close enough to realize that all the protrusions on him are actually bullets. Cool design element. Plus, I have to wonder how much of the craziness surrounding him

was actually the work of Psycho Mantis? Seems like a really interesting duo.

You know that all writers don't think alike, right?

I'm sure it builds up to something, but it feels like crazy for the sake of crazy by the way it's presented. A random series of events that are just there to make the player go "oh wow, look at all the crazy shit" to get you amped for what is generally just a series of reconnaissance missions.

I prefer the way the other MGS games opened up. They weren't trying to show off how crazy shit can get, which was generally reserved for later on in the game just when you become settled. That's what's so off putting to me, they can justify it anyway they like but it doesn't feel right.

One thing I really do like though is that this really does feel like a real stealth game compared to earlier entries where you just run and gun to get by.

[OL]

You know that all writers don't think alike, right?

Oh, of course. Absolute agreement. I'd actually be the first guy to tell anyone that there's no "correct" way to execute an art form. It's probably why I'm generally more forgiving of certain things that others look down on, because I'm open to everyone having different methods of expression.
But at the same time I guess I've just always thought it was a general rule when taking in someone else's work, to not assume that anything is random until you've finished it. I hope it doesn't sound insulting or anything, I'm just surprised at that kind of criticism when you've only just started.
As it is, I'm not sure why an MGS game should have to work up to its craziness anymore, after 9+ games chock full of it. We've already seen telekinetics, vampires, guys who can control bees, cyborg ninjas, bio-mecha that sound like cows mooing, and Soviet colonels who can control electricity. Some amount of "groundedness" is nice as well, but if the nutty stuff pops up, I just don't bat an eye anymore.

[Ziming]

Those who beat the game should check out that video about the unfinished mission that didn't make it into the final game. Again, only watch it after you finished playing it.

[Kenny]

You know that all writers don't think alike, right?

Oh, of course. Absolute agreement. I'd actually be the first guy to tell anyone that there's no "correct" way to execute an art form. It's probably why I'm generally more forgiving of certain things that others look down on, because I'm open to everyone having different methods of expression.
But at the same time I guess I've just always thought it was a general rule when taking in someone else's work, to not assume that anything is random until you've finished it. I hope it doesn't sound insulting or anything, I'm just surprised at that kind of criticism when you've only just started.
As it is, I'm not sure why an MGS game should have to work up to its craziness anymore, after 9+ games chock full of it. We've already seen telekinetics, vampires, guys who can control bees, cyborg ninjas, bio-mecha that sound like cows mooing, and Soviet colonels who can control electricity. Some amount of "groundedness" is nice as well, but if the nutty stuff pops up, I just don't bat an eye anymore.

Maybe I said it wrong.

It was more like "too much, too soon". The other Metal Gears had a build up that revealed stuff little by little. Even Ground Zeroes didn't get nuts until the very end. Kojima is generally really good at tricking you into thinking it'll be a standard action-adventure romp then reveals the crazy cause that's his style. He does it in a way where no matter how absurd it is, you run with it. I always liked that about him.

But the crazy is usually really cool too, not tacky. MGS4 raised the bar when it came to stuff like Raiden vs the Gekkos or Vamp. I mean--

A flaming sperm whale? Seriously? Maybe it was an illusion, maybe it was literally a sperm whale on fire. Either way, that was really cheesy.

I'm almost done with the first ten missions and everything else has been substandard thus far. It really IS a more upgraded version of Peace Walker. As a game it's fine (except for having to be forced to find a tank or build a missile launcher) but the story is not that involving. It hasn't kicked into high gear yet, so we'll see, but he's certainly has done better in the first half of things.

[Henry Spencer]

Which of you casuals are using reflex? And are any of you guys experiencing as many problems logging in to the server as I am? Konami's servers are just shocking...

[Thief]

I'm using reflex as of right now -- the game is a little easy, but I'm just enjoying myself for the moment. I might take it off later though. I haven't used Quiet yet, but DDog makes the game waaaaaaaay too easy. I'm using him just to make things a little quicker when clearing out these side-ops (and he's useful for pointing out wild animals to extract) but I'm sticking to DHorse for the main missions. I'm way too addicted to the game right now though... Anyway, only on Mission 13 at the moment, but have been doing side-ops and working on Mother Base, so I suppose I'm taking my time.

[Raithos]

And are any of you guys experiencing as many problems logging in to the server as I am? Konami's servers are just shocking...

Yeah if I am actually able to sign in, I constantly lose connection to them. Most of my playtime has been "offline" so to speak. Not that the MGS games have ever been difficult, but is anyone else finding it extremely easy? I feel like the open world has a lot to do with it. Too much freedom in how you make your attacks. Not complaining, just something I noticed. Having a blast right now.

[Thief]

And are any of you guys experiencing as many problems logging in to the server as I am? Konami's servers are just shocking...

Yeah if I am actually able to sign in, I constantly lose connection to them. Most of my playtime has been "offline" so to speak. Not that the MGS games have ever been difficult, but is anyone else finding it extremely easy? I feel like the open world has a lot to do with it. Too much freedom in how you make your attacks. Not complaining, just something I noticed. Having a blast right now.

I'm not particularly bothered by the difficulty, since it can be modified to be more challenging, but yeah it's a little bit on the easy side. My absolute biggest gripe with this game has to be with how long it takes to do anything. If I want to use anybody besides DHorse, then it takes FOREVER to get anywhere, even leaving by helicopter takes forever -- and there's nothing in between places. I dread when I have to find all the wild animals (because I know I'm going to do that shit) and how much trouble it's going to be just walking around looking for them.

[OL]

A word to the wise, spoiler-free: on the mission called "Hellbound," at the very end of the mission, don't let yourself think that you can get in a truck and drive it as far as you like to escape. I just did that, and after spending upwards of an hour and a half to two hours raiding the entire mission for soldiers and supplied, I accidentally hit the edge of the mission area.
And guess what?
The game decided that that was me choosing to abort the mission. So I lost EVERYTHING. Just about enough to make me lose my fucking mind. Now I have to do it all over again.
Grr.

[Thief]

A word to the wise, spoiler-free: on the mission called "Hellbound," at the very end of the mission, don't let yourself think that you can get in a truck and drive it as far as you like to escape. I just did that, and after spending upwards of an hour and a half to two hours raiding the entire mission for soldiers and supplied, I accidentally hit the edge of the mission area.
And guess what?
The game decided that that was me choosing to abort the mission. So I lost EVERYTHING. Just about enough to make me lose my fucking mind. Now I have to do it all over again.
Grr.

At least it's a pretty cool mission to have to re-do. Kinda feels like Groznyj Grad in a way --

[OL]

A flaming sperm whale? Seriously? Maybe it was an illusion, maybe it was literally a sperm whale on fire. Either way, that was really cheesy.

Actually, that was my favorite part about it. Of course, I tend to love hyper-surreal stuff anyway, but more than most of it, that part actually felt like it might mean something, since Boss was referred to by the codename Ahab a few times, Miller as Ishmael, and the transport helicopter is called Pequod. I like the Moby Dick motif.

[Henry Spencer]

A word to the wise, spoiler-free: on the mission called "Hellbound," at the very end of the mission, don't let yourself think that you can get in a truck and drive it as far as you like to escape. I just did that, and after spending upwards of an hour and a half to two hours raiding the entire mission for soldiers and supplied, I accidentally hit the edge of the mission area.
And guess what?
The game decided that that was me choosing to abort the mission. So I lost EVERYTHING. Just about enough to make me lose my fucking mind. Now I have to do it all over again.
Grr.

The exact same thing happened to me. I hadn't encountered the "leaving the mission area" thing before that and Miller didn't warn me like he usually does. I thought that since I sneaked past all of the guards that The Skulls were approaching, or something similar, henceforth the reason why the screen going so weird.

I'm using reflex as of right now -- the game is a little easy, but I'm just enjoying myself for the moment. I might take it off later though. I haven't used Quiet yet, but DDog makes the game waaaaaaaay too easy. I'm using him just to make things a little quicker when clearing out these side-ops (and he's useful for pointing out wild animals to extract) but I'm sticking to DHorse for the main missions. I'm way too addicted to the game right now though... Anyway, only on Mission 13 at the moment, but have been doing side-ops and working on Mother Base, so I suppose I'm taking my time.

Quiet is OP too. Especially once you up her Bond level with Big Boss. Once you equip her with a tranq sniper rifle it's easy pickings. She will clear an entire outpost, then all you need to do is go in and fulton extract everything and everyone.

I've not used D Horse in forever now that DD and Quiet get the job done so efficiently.

EDIT: And there's definitely advantages to having Quiet in the chopper with you...ahem.

[OL]

It's funny, I was feeling the same as everyone else about how it takes too long to get all the way to chopper pickup points. I've been playing for... good lord, no clue. Probably 15-20 hours already, but I only just realized that you can destroy the radar arrays at the various bases to provide a closer pickup point. I was playing so stealthy that I hadn't destroyed one yet.

Also have to say, as stealth-focused as the game is, and as incredibly well as it pulls that off, I've only just found out how fun it is to go loud as well. Both styles are fun as hell. Most fun I've had with a combination of the two since Watch Dogs, I think.